Dogs are usually attracted to bugs, grasshoppers, bees, etc. It is a natural behavior of the dog that it eats all kinds of insects. The first reason for this may be the fact that dogs think they are disgusting. The second reason is watching other animals eating it and thirdly the smell of the bug attracts them.
Stamping on your dog’s paws or squirting lemon juice can help but these measures will not work permanently as your pet will find something equally fascinating. If you are worried about how safe it is let me reassure you that many viruses are not passed from insect to animal or person nor does ingestion cause any harm however if your pet has a pre-existing condition like skin allergies or diabetes then you will need to keep an eye on him especially if he has started eating bugs.
The best way to minimize your dog’s interest in bugs is by making these insects less attractive. Use the following measures while walking your pet.
Keep him on a leash at all times; remember that dogs generally avoid places where they feel trapped and this often makes them vulnerable to pests. Keep big trees between your dog and grasshoppers, bees, etc.
Squirt water from the hose on mosquitoes if there are any around or at least warn your dog about their presence so that he can take appropriate action before they get too close for comfort. If you find one insect scaring off all others simply move it away with something long like a stick or your hands.
Do not encourage your dog to eat bugs by using words like yummy or good boy while he is chewing on them. If you have started praising him for his habit of eating insects, stop immediately to discourage it even more. If you are taking your pet for regular outdoor activities then instead of jerking the leash when he sees an insect tugging lightly will do just fine to point out that it isn’t something that you want him to chew on.
If nothing works keep in mind that most dogs have no interest in being near bees especially when they are buzzing around looking for flowers with nectar and pollen. The second string of bees can cause serious problems so if your pet seems interested in bees try brushing them off with a stick or coax them into water.
If you try all of these measures and your dog is still interested in bugs then the only solution may be getting him neutered. This will not change his behavior as such but it can help to make him less interested in insects as the hormones responsible for this interest will no longer be manufactured by his body making it easy for you to ignore them and give your dog more human-like attention.
Another way to stop this is:
Give him toys that he likes and one of these could be a ball with some bells inside it so that when he moves, they produce noise which scares off insects or even better use two balls with bells on each side of the house so that every time he comes near, he gets a warning.
Now, what are you waiting for? Visit your local pet store today to find some awesome dog toys! That way dogs will have something more interesting than bugs to play with and stay away from them thus saving both your and your dogs time and energy in the long run.
Will eating bugs hurt my dog?
Dogs are usually attracted to bugs, grasshoppers, bees, etc. It is a natural behavior of the dog that it eats all kinds of insects. The first reason for this may be the fact that dogs think they are disgusting. The second reason is watching other animals eating it and thirdly the smell of the bug attracts them. Stamping on the ground or using the water spray to warn the dog off bugs may temporarily work but these measures will not permanently solve your problem.
Should I stop my dog from eating flies?
Absolutely not! There is no reason to. Flies are not harmful to dogs. No matter how disgusting it may seem the dog will never get sick or harmed from eating flies.
You can try using different methods like giving your dog a toy with bells inside, spraying the ground near the place where there are more flies, etc.